Loading rig for caulking guns



Dec. 13, 1955 JONES LOADING RIG FOR CAULKING GUNS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledApril 27, 1951 IN V EN TOR. 1 #1421? V E JU/VFS A T TOPA/E rs,

Dec. 13, 1955 JONES 2,726,802

LOADING RIG FOR CAULKING GUNS Filed April 27, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet2 I 2Ll [7. 1 A 5 1% 5 v ,3- m1; I r [I I l v 7 1 I 4 V 111m 5 4 7 INVENTOR.

H14??? V E JONES ,4 770NEKS Uited States Patent 6 LOADING RIG FORCAULKING GUNS Harry E. Jones, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor, by direct andmesne assignments, to Force-Flo, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation ofOhio Application April 27, 1951, Serial No. 223,24

5 Claims. (Cl. 226-125) This invention relates to a loading rig forcaulking guns, grease guns or the like.

In the loading of caulking guns, grease guns, etc., it is necessary toapply considerable force to the material. This may be done bysuperimposing a shallow piston on such material While in the originalcontainer, depressing the piston within the container, and causing orpermitting the material to escape through an opening in the piston in orto which opening the gun to be loaded is atfixed. The piston can bedepressed within the container by mechanical means, producing therebythe desired movement of the material through the opening in the pistonand into the barrel of the caulking gun, grease gun or the like.

Generally speaking, loading rigs of this type have in the past beenapplied or afiixed to the container at its upper end, usually beingclamped to the open end of the container just below the top chime. Withsuch an arrangement, forces of large magnitude cannot be applied to thematerial within the container, this for the reason that under suchconditions the container is likely to bulge, burst or collapse,particularly at the bottom chime. Therefore, prior systems for loadingcaulking guns, grease guns, etc. have in the main been designed to applyonly moderate forces to the material within the container.

It is an object of the present invention to reinforce the container,particularly at the bottom chime, in such manner as to permit theapplication to the material within the container of forces of muchgreater magnitude than those heretofore contemplated. Another object isto provide for the dissipation of unexpendedforces through parts of therig in direct contact with the ground, the floor or the foundation onwhich the rig is placed during loading, using a base plate for thepurpose. Another object is to provide a strong, sturdy assembly whichmay be applied as a unit to a standard container such as a five-gallonpail and which, by virtue of the incorporation in the assembly of two ormore cooperating levers, will apply forces of very great magnitude tothe material-within the container. A further object is to provide newand improved means for holding the caulking gun, grease gun or the likein loading position in the apparatus.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thedescription which follows and'from the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure l is a vertical central section with parts in elevation along thelongitudinal axis of thecrosshead forming part of the loading rig.Figure 2 is a top plan of the loading rig of Figure 1 but with theactuating handle broken away for convenience in illustration. Figure 3is a side elevation, seen from the right in Figures 1 and 2, with acaulking gun shown in position on the loading cylinder butwith certainparts of the rig omitted and others broken away in order to showdetails. Figure 4 is a side elevation of the loading cylinder, seen fromline 4-4 of Figure 2. Figure 5' is a horizontal section of the loadingcylinder, with certain parts in plan, as seen from line 5-5- of Figure4. Figure 6 is a fragmentary section, on an enlargedscale, show-2,726,802 Patented Dec. 13, 1955 ing the collar at the top of theloading cylinder together with one of the cams and the cam-operatinghandle.

Figure 1 shows the loading rig of the present invention applied to aconventional container 1 filled with caulking compound, grease or thelike, the same taking the form of a standard five-gallon pail from whichthe covering lid has been removed. Container ,1 has at the closed endthereof the usual bottom chime 2. Within chime 2 is received a closelyfitting circular shoulder 3 forming part of a raised pad 4 that isprovided to support the end of container 1. Pad 4, which forms part of acircular footplate 5, also serves to center container 1 in relation tothe foot-plate. By means of the foot-plate, particularly thechime-engaging shoulder 3 on pad 4 thereof, container 1 is reinforcedagainst rupture or collapse while external force is being applied to itby the loading rig.

Forming part of base plate 5 are two opposed pairs of lugs 6 and 7, thelugs 6 receiving and holding the lower end of a pivotally mounted tierod 8 and the lugs 7 receiving and holding the lower end of a pivotallymounted tie rod 9. The tie rods, which are threaded at their upper ends,form the principal fastening elements of the loading rig. Their threadedupper ends project through a crosshead applied to the open end ofcontainer 1. Surrounding the upper ends of tie rods 8 and 9 where theyproject through the cross-head are washers 1G and 11 against which seatknob-shaped hold-down nuts 12 and 13, respectively. The latter receiveand cooperate with the threaded portions of tie rods 8 and 9. Thecross-head is slotted as at 14 and 15 in such manner as to permit quickengagement and disengagement of the fastening elements.

The cross-head itself consists of the two slotted end blocks 18 and 19,a center block 21} having a centrally located circular hole 21 passingvertically therethrough, two left side pieces 22 and 23, and two rightside pieces 24 and 25. At their outer ends, left side pieces 22 and 23adjoin and are welded to the side faces of slotted block 18; at theiropposite ends, they abut and are welded to the end face of center block20. Right side pieces 24 and 25 are similarly welded to the side facesof slotted block 19 and the opposite end face of center block 20. Thusthe cross-head consists of a built-up member that extends from one sideto the other of the loading rig.

Passing vertically through and guided by the walls of hole 21 in centerblock 20 is an operating rod 26 of the nature of a piston rod. To itsupper end, as by means of a set screw, is detachably afiixed a retainer27. To its Iower end is welded a shallow piston 28 of such dimensions asto permit it to enter freely but without too much clearance into theopen end of container 1. In a suitable peripheral groove, seen in Figure1, piston 28 carries a gasket 29 which is formed as a strip by a processofextruslon and applied to piston 23 before the piston is inserted incontainer 1. Gasket 29 is of a material such as synthetic plastic,synthetic rubber, natural rubber or the like that is able to stand upunder such chemical or physical action as may be manifested by thecaulking compound, grease, etc. with which container 1 is filled.

Centrally located on opposite sides of the cross-head and welded tocenter block 2%, left side pieces 22, 23' and right side pieces 24, 25are two rather large side plates 31 and 32. Side plates 31 and 32 extendvertically in parallelism to each other in such manner as to flankoperating rod 26. In the form shown, the side plates are polygonal inshape, their upper ends inclining downwardly from left to right as seenin Figure l. Extending between and welded to side plates 31 and 32 is ahorizontal plate 33, rectangular in shape, that is provided near itscenter with a vertically extending circular hole.

Operating rod 26 passes through and is guided by the to tilt to one sideor the other, although necessary clearance is of course provided.

Mounted on horizontal plate 33 is anupper coil spring 34 which issurmounted by a double washer assembly' 35.. By virtue of the presencethereon of oppositely extending integral tabs, the latter is ofelongated configuration, the'elongation appearing in Figure 2. Bothspring 34 and washer assembly 35 surround operating rod 26, the springbiasing the washer assembly into contact with a horizontal pintle 36,headed over as at 36a, that constitutes a stop extending transverselybetween the uppermost operating rod.

Immediately below transverse plate 33 is a similarly shaped doublewasher assembly 37 that is biased toward horizontal position by anunderlying coil spring 38 surrounding operating rod 26. At its upperend, spring 33 abuts. washer assembly 37; at its lower end, it seatsoncenter block 20. Like washer assembly 35, washer assembly 37 is providedwith a central hole through which operating rod 26 passes. Such hole isonly slightly larger than the diameter of the operating rod 26. Thus ifwasher assembly 37 is depressed at one end, it will bite into operatingrod 26 -much as does washer assembly 35.

Overlying one end of washer assembly '37 is a pin 39, best shown inFigure 2, which forms part of a forked lever made up of two spaced sidemembers 41 and 42 through which passes-a pintle 43. The latter extendshorizontally between side plates 31 and 32. At its ends it is headedover as indicated at 43a. Pintle 43, which is stationary, thus serves asthe fulcrum for the forked lever carrying pin 39. That end of the levercarrying pin 39 lies directly above the near end of washer assembly 37.'At the opposite end of the lever, the two side members 41 and42 mergeand are spot-welded together to provide an outwardly extending portion44 mounting a short pivot pin 45. V

Pivot pin 45 is common to the forked lever just described, which is ofthe nature of an auxiliary lever, and an actuating lever 48, best shownin Figure 1, that is provided at its outer end with a grasping portion49. Actuating lever 48 has the longer of'its two arms extending awayfrom operating rod 26 and the various elements which surround and engageit. The shorter of its two arms, which extends toward operating rod 26,is formed as indicated in Figure 2 of two side members 50 and 51 whichencompass the outwardly extending portion 44 of the auxiliary levercarrying pin 39. A pin 52 forming the fulcrum for actuating lever 48 iscarried by the upper end of an upwardly extending link 53 which at itslower end is mounted on a pintle 54, headed over as at 54a,

. that extends from one to the other of side pieces 24 and 25. Onopposite sides of link 53, pintle 54 is provided with spacers 55 and 56,shown in Figure 2.

Since pivot pin 45 is common to the actuating lever and the auxiliarylever, a force applied to actuating lever 48 at the grasping portion 49thereof will be communicated to the outwardly extending portion 44 ofthe aux-- semb y 7- When, for example, a downwardly acting force isfirst applied to grasping portion ,49 of actuating lever 48, the latterpivots about fulcrum 52, thereby moving common pivot pin in an upwarddirection and, with it, the end of outwardly extending portion 44 of theauxiliary lever. The latter, being fulcrumed on pintle 43, moves upwardat its right-hand end and downward at its left-hand end as seen inFigure 1, thus causing washer assembly 37 to bite into operating rod 26.As the stroke is continued, the pressure on washer assembly 37 forcesoperating rod 26 downward. Being rigidly affixed to the lower end ofoperating rod 26, piston 28 is forced downward within container 1 by themovement imposed on operating rod 26 by the rod-engaging means mountedon the supporting elements that go to make up the cross-head.

Piston 28 is provided as shown in Figure 3 with at least one opening(two or more may be present) which is tapped to receive the end 61 of aloading cylinder that is threaded for engagement with the tapped openingin the piston. Loading cylinder 60 is characterized at its upper end byan annular flange 62 that has the effect of providing loading cylinder60 with an enlarged portion facilitating reception of the discharge endof the barrel of a caulking gun or the like. Located on a suitablyformed shoulder within annular flange 62 is a gasket 63 of syntheticplastic, synthetic rubber or some other suitable material against whichbears the discharge end of the barrel of gun 64. Below annular flange 62is a sliding collar 65 that rides on and conforms closely to the outerdimensions of loading cylinder 60.

Fastened to and extending upward from sliding collar 65 are clampingmeans for caulking gun 64, the same taking the form of two verticallyextending straps 66 and 67. The latter are hooked inwardly at theirupper ends a as indicated at 66a and 67a (Figure 3). Hooked ends 66a and67a are adapted to engage the flange, designated 68 in the drawings,that forms part of the conventional caulking gun near its operating end.By removing the nozzle from caulking gun 64, locating the discharge endof the barrel on the gasket 63 in the socket formed at. the

upper end of loading cylinder 60, and depressing sliding collar 65, thecaulking gun may be held erect on and clamped in leak-tight relation toloading cylinder 60.

This is accomplished as indicated in Figures 4, 5 and 6 by providing twoend cams 69 and 70 between annular flange 62 and sliding collar 65. Cams69 and 70, which are provided with flats 69a and 70a, respectively, aresecured to loading cylinder 60 .by rivets 71 and 72. They are'united byan operating handle 73 for simultaneous actuation. When a downward forceis applied to the latter, cams 69 and 70 rotate out of theposition'shown into a position in which flats 69a and 70a no longer makecontact with sliding collar 65. Instead, contact is made by the roundedparts of cams 69 and '70. Thus depressing the operating handle 73 hasthe elfect of depressing sliding collar 65 relative to loading cylinder69, thereby clamping the loading gun firmly in the position shown inFigure 3.

In operation, a container filled with caulking compound,

grease or like material is freed of the covering lid and centered on pad4 of foot-plate 5. Thereafter, the crosshead is applied in properrelation to the open upper end of the container, whereupon piston 28will enter the container and will locate itself in contact or just outof contact with the top surface of the material in the container. 7 Tierods 8 and 9 are then swung into a position in which they enter slots 14and 15 at the endsof the crosshead,

after which hold-down nuts 12 and 13 are screwed down.

Thereafter the caulking gun 64 to be loaded is mounted as described onloading cylinder; 60, being clamped in place by depressing handle 73.This establishes an open conduit between the discharge end of the barrelof the caulking gun 64,1oading cylinder 60, and the interior ofcontainer 1 Thereafter, when piston 28 is depressed 'within container 1.the material with which the container is filled moves upward throughloading cylinder 60 and into the open end of the barrel of caulking gun64, all as indicated in Figure 3.

It is apparent that changes may be made in the loading rig of theinvention without departing from the spirit thereof, as, for example, bysubstituting for the rod-engaging means shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 amechanism of different type. Preferably, however, the system that isused will be one wherein forces of small magnitude are multiplied andapplied as forces of large magnitude to operating rod 26 and the piston28 at its lower end. Other methods of holding the cross-head to thecontainer may be devised and used, although that described above permitsof the ready dissipation through the foot-plate of unexpended forcesapplied to the grasping portion of the actuating handle. It is alsoapparent that other means, including locking nuts and the like, may beused for attaching the gun to the loading cylinder. The preferred formof clamping means shown in Figure 3 may of course be replaced by otherclamping means without departing from the inventive concept.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by summarization in theappended claims, whatever features of the patentable novelty reside inthe invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A gun-loading rig for application to a standard container holdingcaulking compound, grease or the like comprising a foot plate; a raisedplatform on the foot plate, said raised platform conforming closely tothe shape of the bottom chime of a standard container for caulkingcompound, grease or the like; a piston; an operating rod extendingupward from the piston; a crosshead connected to the foot plate, saidcross-head being directly supported by and indirectly supporting the rodfrom the container; two upwardly extending side plates on thecross-head; rod-engaging means mounted between the side plates forprogressively depressing the rod in relation to the cross-head; and,coupled to the rod-engaging means, a compound lever fulcrumed at aplurality of points intermediate its ends, the unexpended forces appliedto the assembly by said lever being dissipated through said foot plate,

2. A gun-loading rig as in claim 1 in which the compound lever is madeup of an actuating lever that is fulcrumed intermediate its ends and acooperating lever that is fulcrumed intermediate its ends.

3. A gun-loading rig as in claim 2 in which the two levers have a commonpivot pin located between their fulcrums.

4. A gun-loading rig as in claim 3 in which the fulcrum for thecooperating lever takes the form of a pintle extending between the twoupwardly extending side plates on the cross-head.

5. A gun-loading rig for application to a standard container holdingcaulking compound, grease or the like comprising a piston; an operatingrod extending upward from the piston; a cross-head straddling the rodfor supporting the rod from the container; two upwardly extending sideplates on the cross-head rod-engaging means mounted between the sideplates for progressively depressing the rod in relation to thecross-head; a compound lever including an actuating lever provided witha grasping portion for transmitting force to the rod-engaging means;fastening means for the cross-head on which the side plates are mounted,such fastening means being spaced from the container; and, below thecontainer, a foot-plate to which said fastening means are mechanicallyconnected and by which unexpended force imposed at the grasping portionof the actuating handle is transmitted outside the rig itself, said footplate having a raised platform characterized by a circularchime-engaging shoulder conforming closely to the shape of the bottomchime of a standard container for caulking compound, grease or the like.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,341,652 Lawrence June 1, 1920 1,466,256 Stelter Aug. 28, 19232,080,856 Thomas May 18, 1937 2,224,509 Canine Dec. 10, 1940 2,253,150Thompson Aug. 19, 1941 2,305,238 Coates Dec. 15, 1942 2,489,809 OwensNov. 29, 1949 2,545,605 Canine Mar. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,661Germany July 13, 1877 58,458 Germany Aug. 27, 1891

